Following Former President Jacob Zuma’s resignation, South Africa welcomed a new president on Thursday 15 February in Cyril Ramaphosa and along with him comes a new first family. But, who are Ramaphosa’s wife and children?

Unlike the wives and children of former presidents Nelson Mandela and Jacob Zuma, Ramaphosa, like former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe, has managed to mostly keep his family out of the spotlight.

However, the Ramaphosas have now been thrust into the spotlight and will naturally receive more attention.

Here’s what we know:President Ramaphosa:
A game farmer and the tenth richest man in South Africa, that is our President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The 65-year-old Soweto born politician, lawyer, trade unionist and businessman was sworn into the highest office on Thursday.

It’s said that Cyril Ramaphosa picked up his nickname, “the Buffalo”, after bidding close to R20 million on a buffalo.

Last year, the game farmer sold an Ankole bull for R640,000.

The president is a successful businessman and has served on the boards of MTN, Lonmin, South African Breweries, First Rand Limited, Macsteel Holdings, Alexander Forbes and Medscheme Limited.

The man who was at Nelson Mandela’s side when he was released from prison lives a relatively private life, but last year he faced claims of infidelity.

In response, Ramaphosa admitted to cheating on his wife and revealed that he had come clean to her eight years ago.

The Buffalo’s rise to the presidency effectively started with his return to politics in 2012, however, its roots are perhaps in the 1970s when he was detained for 11 months as a student activist against apartheid.

Mrs Ramaphosa
Dr Tshepo Motsepe is a qualified medical doctor with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and a Master of Public Health [MPH] in Maternal Child Health and Aging from the Harvard School of Public Health. She also has a host of other qualifications in business and entrepreneurship.

Motsepe is the older sister of South African business mogul, Patrice Motsepe and has a sister, Bridgette Radebe, who is married to Minister in the Presidency, Jeff Radebe.

Motsepe is Ramaphosa’s second wife and they have three children together.
Ramaphosa was previously married to businesswoman, Nomazizi Mtshotshisa, with whom he has one child. The couple divorced.

Children
Not much is known about the Ramaphosa children. Media reports about them are very scarce and they are seemingly not on social media.

Son – Andile Ramaphosa: There is a Twitter account using the name Andile Ramaphosa, but it’s not verified, neither is it very active.

Son – Tumelo Ramaphosa: Just like his father, Tumelo Ramaphosa is a businessman. He is the CEO StudEx Wild Life.

He has a Master of Science qualification from the Hult International Business School and is based in San Francisco.

There are two other Ramaphosa children – two daughters-, however, there is no publicly available information on them. More information could be available during the course of Ramaphosa’s Presidency.

The African National Congress (ANC) has lost patience with a defiant President Jacob Zuma and its MPs will vote with opposition parties in a motion of no confidence against him at Parliament on Thursday.

Speaking after addressing ANC MPs at their caucus meeting at Parliament, party treasurer-general Paul Mashatile told journalists that South Africans could not be expected to wait any longer for Zuma to resign.

“It is very clear that for us as the leadership of the ANC, We can no longer wait beyond today. We don’t want to keep South Africa waiting. If President Zuma will at some point respond, he will respond but we can’t continue waiting.”

ANC Chief Whip Jackson Mthembu says that depending on the availability of the Chief Justice, Mogoeng Mogoeng, Cyril Ramaphosa could also be elected as the country’s new president at the same sitting tomorrow.

Mthembu says the EFF refused to withdraw its own motion of no confidence so that the ANC could bring its own motion, which he says would have been ideal.

Instead, Mthembu says the ANC will move an amendment to the EFF’s motion from the floor – but he says this will not alter the thrust of the motion.

“We have approached them because ideally, it would have been nice for them to withdraw but they sadly refused to withdraw their motion and that’s why were are sitting with the next available option to the ANC, which is to amend that motion but not the substance.”

Section 102 of the Constitution allows for a simple majority – 201 of 400 MPs – to pass a motion of no confidence in the President, in which case he, his deputy, all Cabinet ministers and their deputies must resign. It provides for the Speaker to then act as president for up to 30 days until a new president is elected, but the ANC wants Ramaphosa installed as soon as possible.

Once elected, Ramaphosa will be in a position to appoint a new Cabinet.

If Zuma resigns before the motion of confidence is passed, then it will fall away and Ramaphosa will become acting president, with all the powers and functions the position holds – including appointing Cabinet ministers.

Mthembu has given the assurance that the Budget will go ahead as planned next Wednesday. The question now is whether Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba will still be the person to deliver it.

Read the full statement from the ANC NEC below:

Statement of the African National Congress following special meeting of the National Executive Committee held on the 12th February 2018

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the African National Congress (ANC) convened a special meeting on Monday, 12th February 2018 at the Saint George Hotel, Tshwane. The meeting was called to reflect on the current situation as it pertains to the position of the President of the Republic of South Africa, Comrade Jacob Zuma.

The NEC received a report from the Officials on their engagement with President Zuma. These engagements had been informed by the commitment to pursue firstly the interest of the country and the ANC and the determination to handle the matter with utmost dignity.

The NEC noted the report of the Officials that the President had agreed in principle to resign and had proposed time frames extending from three to six months. While appreciating President Zuma’s proposal, the NEC noted that South Africa is going through a period of uncertainty and anxiety as a result of the unresolved matter of transition. Further that this uncertainty and anxiety will erode the renewed hope and confidence among South Africans since the 54th National Conference of the ANC.

The National Executive Committee firmly believes that this situation requires us to act with urgency in order to steer our country towards greater levels of unity, renewal and hope. We are determined to restore the integrity of the public institutions, create political stability and urgent economic recovery. Some of the matters we are contending with are the opportunistic manoeuvers by the opposition in parliament including motions of no confidence in the President, calls for dissolution for parliament and other desperate acts. The ANC’s approach to this matter has, at all times, been informed by the interests of the South African people.

Sensitive of the need to handle this matter with dignity, the NEC once again sent a delegation to brief the President Jacob Zuma about the need to shorten the timeframes so that this matter is speedily resolved. The NEC received feedback from the delegation that the President of the Republic did not accede to a shorter time frame.

The NEC therefore decided as follows:

To recall its deployee, Comrade Jacob Zuma, in accordance with Rule 12.2.21.2 of the ANC Constitution, which accords the NEC the authority to “recall any public representative”.

There should be continuing interaction between the officials of the ANC and the President of the Republic.The decision by the NEC to recall its deployee was taken only after exhaustive discussion on the impact such a recall would have on the country, the ANC and the functioning of government.

The decision of the NEC provides certainty to the people of South Africa at a time when the economic and social challenges facing the country require urgent and resolute response by all sections of society.

It is critical that South Africans are united around the task of growth, job creation and economic transformation.

This decision will be communicated publicly and through appropriate forums to all structures of the ANC, Alliance Structures and all the Mass Democratic Formations.

All necessary parliamentary processes that arise from this decision will now ensue.

Following a lengthy special meeting lasting almost thirteen hours, the African National Congress’s National Executive Committee has decided to recall Jacob Zuma from the Union Buildings.

The party’s NEC members started their meeting in Irene at 2pm on Monday afternoon, following days of negotiations between ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa and Zuma.

A special NEC meeting called for last week was called off shortly after an announcement by the speaker of the National Assembly, Baleka Mbete, that the State of the Nation Address – meant to take place last Thursday – was going to be postponed to an undetermined date.

Eyewitness News understands that when Ramaphosa and secretary-general Ace Magashule went to tell Zuma that the NEC wants him to resign or face being recalled, he told them to “do what they want to do”.

The NEC then deliberated further until it decided to recall him.

Sources in the NEC have told EWN that Zuma asked to stay for the next few months to attend an African Union meeting and the Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Summit.

They say the party’s leaders have decided that Ramaphosa must be sworn in as President.

The ANC will now invoke section 12.2.21.2 of its constitution, which deals with the recall of the president and inform Zuma of this decision.

Over 50 people from Mpoza village outside Tsolo were rushed to various hospitals around Mthatha on Thursday, after eating meat from a cow that had reportedly died from a snake bite.

Eastern Cape Department of Health spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said the patients were initially ferried to Dr Malizo Mpehle Memorial Hospital in Tsolo, where some of them reported that they had eaten the meat from the carcass of an animal that had died after being bitten by a snake.

He said the patients experienced diarrhoea, vomiting, headaches and stomach cramps.

Among those who were ill were 16 children, eight of whom had been transferred to the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital’s paediatric ward, while the others were treated at Mthatha Regional Hospital.

Kupelo said four elderly patients were also transferred to Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital for further treatment.

“Given the mass casualty nature of the incident, St Barnabas Hospital in Libode has also been put on standby to create space for additional patients that don’t require tertiary or regional services,” he said.

Kupelo said the department was urging communities to stop consuming meat from dead animals as it was dangerous to do so.

With the Western Cape drought looming,the Muslim Judicial Council(MJC) has encouraged Muslims to remain calm and to steer clear of free water that will be distributed in beer bottles by South African Breweries.

The Islamic organisation denied reports that it had declared the SAB water not halaal‚ adding it was investigating what to do when taps run dry on Day Zero.

“We encourage Muslims to find alternative sources of water because these alternative options do exist for now‚” the head of communications at the MJC‚ Mishka Daries‚ said in a statement.

“Should we reach Day Zero and water is less available a fatwa (Islamic legal verdict) will indicate the way forward.

The fatwa is being researched as we speak and a conclusion will be reached soon.”

In Islam the consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited.

For years people have collected water from a spring at SAB’s brewery in Newlands. But as Day Zero draws closer‚ queues are becoming almost unmanageable as Cape Town battles a crippling drought.

SAB then indicated it had agreed with the Western Cape government to produce and distribute 1-million cases or 12-million bottles of water to the province to “help alleviate the water crisis”.

After the MJC’s call on Muslims to find alternative water sources‚ people took to social media.

Ashiek wrote on Twitter: “This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. There is no rational reason for this decision. Water‚ even if bottled in a brewery could never be classified as intoxicant. This displays such a desperate lack of leadership from the MJC in a time of crisis.”

Maggs Naidu tweeted: “These people are mad.”

According to SAB‚ the water will be sourced from the spring and will be made available in 750ml brown bottles which are known as quarts. It will be labelled in a ”clear and unique manner to ensure that the bottles cannot be confused with beer”.

The bottled water will be made available on Day Zero only.

The company assured the public that the bottles are “rigorously cleaned and sterilised”.

“We are in the process of engaging with the Muslim Judicial Council too and will be inviting them to visit Newlands Brewery and hopefully certify that this emergency relief meets the requirements of Cape Town’s Muslim community‚ which we are deeply respectful of. Community members can still collect water directly from the Newlands Spring collection point based on site at Newlands Brewery. This water comes directly from the Newlands Spring and does not pass through SAB’s Brewery‚” a statement to TimesLIVE read.

Sheikh Riad Fataar, the second deputy president of the MJC, has urged the Muslim community to remain calm and avoid anything alcohol-related.

“Premier Helen Zille assured the MJC executive members that other bottling companies will also be asked to assist with the bottling of water and not only SAB.

“Therefore, we encourage the Muslim community to stay away from anything associated with alcohol as far as possible,” Sheikh Fataar said.

He says Zille has assured the MJC that the 750ml SAB bottles will not be handed out to Muslims.

The water crisis and its extended impacts are causing critical issues for most of South Africa. While Cape Town is trying, by all means, to avoid being affected by the infamous ‘Day Zero’, some of the country’s other cities are also working hard to avoid running out of water, despite seeing heavy rain and flash floods.

Although, Capetonians have already started stockpiling water from shops and springs – some will be using the designated collection points and other alternative emergency sources such as rainwater tanks, pools and boreholes for toilet flushing and washing should the taps run dry.

As of Thursday, 01 February, each person in Cape Town will be limited to 50 litres of water usage per day, with shower times reduced to 90-seconds.

Check out these tips look at the easiest ways to make groundwater safe to drink, keeping in mind the biggest threat is the various invisible microbes such as bacteria, viruses and protozoans that can can cause diarrhoea and vomiting. If you’re unable to test your water quality make sure you boil any form of water that has not been obtained from a pre-treated source.

Here are the 9 tips in more detail:1. How do I know if my borehole or rain water is safe to drink?
Untreated water contains various invisible microbes such as bacteria, viruses and protozoans (e.g. Giardia and Cryptosporidium). These harmful microbes can cause diseases as well as diarrhoea and vomiting.
Unlike the pre-treated water that comes out of our taps, if water has not been treated it’s best to assume it is not safe to drink. The only way to know if untreated sources – whether rainwater or groundwater – are safe to drink is to have a water sample tested in a registered laboratory. You can also use hydrogen-sulphide home tests to indicate whether it has harmful bacteria.

2. Why must I test my untreated water if I want to drink it, and how do I do this?
You do not want any bacteria in your drinking water. Bacteria are the biggest danger and in any emergency situation these must be treated first. You need to look at the water chemistry to see what the salt, metal or heavy metal content is.
The list of elements to check for is long (over 40) and each one has to be considered based on its concentration and health implications. The correct test to use is the South African National Standards or SANS 241. Water suppliers, like municipalities or disaster-response teams, use this test every day to check our drinking water. So keep in mind, your water quality could change – especially stored rain water after a heavy storm. Rather be cautious and treat your water.

3. Is it still safe to drink tap water as we draw water from the bottom of the dams?
Tap water remains a safe drinking water resource as long as it continues to comply with national water standard requirements. While the water at the bottom of dams is often of a poorer quality because of particles that concentrate and settle, it takes extra effort and care to abstract and treat this water – which remains the responsibility of the City of Cape Town. Full weekly drinking water tests at dams, boreholes, treatment works and designated taps are run on our behalf, and treatment is adapted as required.
Cape Town’s water quality can be reviewed on their water quality site. However, during water outages, pipes will stand empty and there is a risk of soil water flowing into the pipes at places where there are cracks. So when the taps are turned back on, be careful about drinking it. Basic treatment, like boiling, is advised in places where water interruptions have happened in our taps. It will be the responsibility of the City, to alert us if water quality changes and if certain neighbourhoods are experiencing problems.

4. What about bottled and spring water?
Typically bottled water is one of the safe sources to turn to. If you want to be assured that the bottled water has been tested, then look for the SANBWA label – the South African National Bottled Water Association. SANBWA tests and confirms that its members meet health standards. Another popular water source for many residents is spring water from iconic sites such as Newlands and Muizenberg springs.
They are not part of the Cape Town water system and are thus not regularly tested by authorities. Interest groups may test the water from time to time and currently many people drink it without treatment. Ultimately, however, the regular drinking of this water without treatment is left to your own judgement and it is at your own risk.

5. Why shouldn’t I drink water straight out of my rainwater tank?
Although pure rain water is clean enough to drink, the water collected in rainwater tanks has been recovered from your roof and gutters which likely will have bird or rat droppings as well as leaves and dust which contains chemicals from air pollution. This water should be cleaned and disinfected before drinking.

6. What’s wrong with drinking untreated borehole or well point water?
Groundwater outside of Cities is often safe to drink, but it is wise to assume that all borehole and well point water in Cape Town should be treated before it would be suitable as drinking water. Typical problems in Cape groundwater are high iron and/ or high salt levels, as well as microbes from overflowing or leaking wastewater systems and from homemade pit latrines where a hole is dug in the ground.
Be aware that a Day Zero situation may result in a breakdown of our sanitation system and you and your neighbours may resort to creating their own pit latrines. As the Day Zero scenario stretches, there may be a growing risk of sewage contamination, so be sure to include a sound microbial treatment method. Water from streams and wetlands should be treated with equal caution.

7. What is the easiest way to make water safe to drink?
The most important is to make sure that water is free of microbes (bacteria, viruses and protozoa) to prevent diarrhoeal outbreaks. Chemicals dissolved in the water (such as nitrates) are a less acute health threat when you are only drinking this water for a short time. People with compromised immune systems, babies and the sick should use bottled or tap water as far as possible.
The simplest and safest way to ensure the microbial safety of drinking water is to boil it. You need to give it a long boil for at least three minutes to ensure that the microbes are killed. Remember, that if you are using alternate sources after Day Zero – this treatment is only necessary for the volumes of water you are going to drink or cook with.

8. What other methods are on offer?
There are many ways to treat water, and the performance among different methods varies extensively. Sometimes a combination of methods is advised for water sources with high risk of both microbial and chemical contamination (such as groundwater, river and wetland water)

9. How do I store my drinking water safely?
It is essential to store your drinking water safely, so that it does not become contaminated again. Clearly label any drinkable water, collected and stored in clean (sterile) plastic/ glass/ stainless steel containers. You can use a baby bottle disinfectant (e.g. Milton) to sterilise your containers. Keep in a cool dark place to avoid any microbial or algal growth.

It is also preferable to use food grade plastic which is determined by the number within the three-arrow triangle that classifies the type of plastic. Food grade means that no harmful BPA will leach into the water over time. The BPA-free plastics are those with numbers 1, 2, 4 and 5. Make sure that your clean water is sealed with a closed lid so that nothing can get in. Your hands also need to be clean when you handle it, as well as any scoop or funnel that you might use to get water out of your clean water storage container.

Day Zero for Cape Town has been pushed back by four days to April 16, 2018, DA leader Mmusi Maimane announced in a statement on Tuesday.

“This is crucial progress, and I offer my thanks and congratulations to all residents who have joined in this campaign to Defeat Day Zero with such commitment. Their efforts have shown fruit. We have started to push back Day Zero, and we can defeat it altogether if we keep going.”

According to the latest data, dam levels for Cape Town are 26.3% as at January 29, 2018, from 26.6% at January 26, 2018.

The average daily water production of all water sources is at 580 ml/d compared to the target of 450ml/d.

“This is great progress, but to truly Defeat Day Zero, we need to aim to cut consumption to 450 million litres a day,” said Maimane.

If Day Zero does arrives taps will be cut off, except in the CBD and commercial and industrial zones.

“Pushing back Day Zero by 4 days may not seem like a lot. But actually it is a significant victory. It shows that residents are coming together and cutting water consumption,” said Maimane.

The DA leader also announced that the City secured an additional 67 million litres a day for a period of approximately 60 days, commencing in early February.

This is part of the 120 million litre augmentation which we announced last week.

“Last week we expected this additional capacity to only come online by May, but now more than half will be available from early February. This speeding-up of water augmentation will help us greatly to Defeat Day Zero.”

Meanwhile, retailers are cashing in as panic-stricken Capetonians are buying bottled water in bulk.

2010 began on a very exciting note for expectant parents. After being told that they would not be able to conceive, Alhumdullah! Now just 4 months away… Dawood and Raeesa were thrilled to be expecting their little bundle of joy.

The little miracle baby, Muhamed Faizaan, was born in April, however, upon birth, the parents found out that the little boy had a lot of complications.

He was put on life support the moment he was born, had multiple organ failures and needed an immediate bowel operation. A bag had to be inserted into his tiny body for excretion.

What is usually a time of endless cuddles and awe ended up being a string of operations for the little bundle of joy.

Two days later doctors informed the parents that little MF needed a heart operation as his left ventricle was leaking.

At this point, he was in such a critical condition that Park Lane Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive care unit had to be transformed into a makeshift theatre.

That was just the start… Two weeks later the doctors informed the new parents that the baby boy needed a Nissen operation because his reflux was burning his oesophagus. A week later, a gastronomy feeding tube was inserted into his stomach due to the abnormality in his throat.

Three months went by, and a total of 11 operations later, doctors had given up hope. Medical aids were exhausted and his parents had to sell off assets.

Faith in Allah
It was a difficult time indeed, but the new mum and dad had full faith that Allah would ease their situation.

Alhumdulilah! By the fourth month, MF was discharged from hospital but on oxygen. Although he was discharged, there were still visits to and from the hospital, operations and procedures continued.

As years passed by
After a year and a half, thanks to Allah, the same child showed signs of hope. He started walking and showed signs of understanding.

Alhumdulillah! Now 7 years old, Muhammed Faizaan has his own favourites and even though he does not speak he still displays the positivity of a normal child.

Now his parents hope to give him an education, however educational facilities for children like Muhamed Faizaan are rare and expensive.

After many unsuccessful attempts to secure their son a place in one of these special facilities or even a government facility, the parents were referred to Star Academy. To their delight, Star academy welcomed them and also provided a glimmer of hope for the son’s education.

However, this was squashed quickly as the parents realized they could not afford the school fees. An estimated amount of R21 000 is required per month, an amount that remains exorbitant for the parents that have been fighting this battle for 7 years now. The parents welcome any donations towards little Muhamed Faizaan’s educational expenses.

Day Zero is coming closer and closer, with the day that Cape Town taps run dry now being put at 12 April. With the city’s feeder dams sitting at just 27.2% of capacity, there are fewer than 80 days till the water runs out.

Western Cape Premier Helen Zille on Monday met with National Disaster Risk Management officials in preparation of the day taps will be turned off.

There’s been lots of rhetoric, but no specific details of exactly what will happen on Day Zero.

“The third workstream has been safety and security. We’ve had a presentation on 120-page plan which has been really intense and looking at every aspect. First of all intelligence, there’s a big, big section on intelligence.”

Premier Helen Zille has written to President Jacob Zuma calling for the declaration of a national disaster, saying that the drought in the Western Cape has escalated “from a threat to an imminent crisis”.

Zille is confident that this declaration will streamline processes to mitigate the effects of day zero.

She reiterated that the provision of bulk water supply is a national competency and that local government is responsible only for the cleaning and delivery of water.

Zille also that emphasised Day Zero can be prevented, if residents drastically reduce their water use to below 50 litres per person per day.

Here are a few ways to save water around the house:

Reuse Water as Much as Possible. Rather than permitting water to go down the drain after washing dishes, use dishpans and take the rinse water outside to pour on vegetable plants or even use it to flush the toilet.

Post reminder notes over all your sinks, beginning with the kitchen.

Place a cup and refillable water bottle in the bathroom for tooth brushing.